Road or tramway for vehicles



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M. A. MARTINDALE.

ROAD 0E TEAMWAY EOE VEHICLES. No. 315,047. Patented Apr. 7, 1885.

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IINITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MOSES A. MARTINDALE, OF ELKHAR'I, INDIANA.

ROAD OR TRAMWY FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 315,047, dated April 7, 1885.

Application tiled January 17, 1884.

.To will whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, MosEs A. MARTINDALE, of Elkhart, inthe county of Elkhart and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Roads or Tramways for Vehicles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention has for its object to provide for an easy and quick transportation of passengers, farm produce, and other freight by horsepower, steam, compressed air, electric ity, gas, pedal or hand power on and over the common wagon-roads to and 'from farms, towns, and cities, or wherever the demands of trade or business require a thoroughfare.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a cross-section of my improved tramway. Fig. 2 is a section of the same, showing modifications. Fig. 3 is a partial plan View, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are detail views of the rail-joint.

A indicates a metallic rail formed of a flanged or trough-like plate, B, of any de sired Width or thickness, and the rail proper, O, which latter may be made in one piece with said plate, or may be bolted thereto, as shown in Figs. l and 2. The plate B has a central horizontal portion, and a flange, D, at each side of said portion, which iianges incline outwardly from each other, so that when the rail A is inverted and the said flanges are embedded in the road -bed they will brace each other against any lateral strain and prevent the rail from becoming displaced. The lower edges of the anges D are turned out horizontally to form bases, to prevent them from sinking deeper in the ground than desired, and to hold said edges in the same horizontal Vplane; The central portion, E, of the plate B serves as a track for wagons and such vehicles, and for such use may be employed, if desired, without the rails proper, C. NVhere the rails proper are used, they are located at the outer edge ofthe central portion, E, so that the inner half of said portion may serve as a track forwagons,

while the rails proper form a track for tlange l wheeled vehicles and aguide for wagons. The anges D at their outer edges are also in material.

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able material placed under them between the angcs D, while the space between the gagebars F and the plane ofthe portions E is to be lled with coarse gravel, cobble-stones, prepared concrete, or asphalt, or other paving The sides of the road outside the rails are to be built up with like material.

'Vhere a tramway is built over soft or marshy ground, the flanges D are to be increased in width by bolting to their lower edges on the inner side plates, G, which shall take a deeper hold upon the ground, and which are to be supported underneath by a ballast of hardened concrete blocks, hewed stone, or sawed timbers.

The rails are connected together by double or interlocking lapjoints formed by beveled recesses H, having elongated bolt-holes I, to allow for contraction and expansion. The central part, E, and both anges D are each provided with a double joint, so arranged that the entire rail-joint shall cosist of alternate overlapping and underla-pping tongues Aor parts, as clearly shown in Fig. 7. These tongues may be provided with elongated holes I, by which the rails may be connected together with bolts. These elongated holes are shown in Fig. 5. p

Vhat I claim isl. The combination,with the trough-shaped rails A and connecting gage-bars F, of the plates G, substantially as shown and described.

2. The trough-shaped rails A,having anged plate B and beveled ends H, interlocking with each other, and elongated bolt-holes, substantially as shown and described.

MOSES A. MARTINDALE.

"Witnesses:

A. G. LYNE, SoLoN C. KEMON. 

